So now Portman and Romney are trying to distort the president's record. The truth is that Ohio is back on track, thanks in large part to the president's policies. For example, because of his commitment to bringing back manufacturing, Ohio has added 44,700 manufacturing jobs in the last two years -- the first time the state has added manufacturing jobs since the 1990s. And the president ignored Romney and the other naysayers to make the bold decision to rescue the American auto industry, saving the hundreds of thousands of Ohio jobs that depend on it.

The president's policies have created more than 4.4 million private-sector jobs nationwide and 28 consecutive months of job gains through June 2012. Since the economic recovery began, Ohio has added 148,300 jobs.

Instead of distorting the president's record, Romney and his surrogates should take a look at Ohio's recent history. We are a state that was plunged into a recession through Wall Street greed and the failed economic policies of the previous administration -- the very same policies Romney wants to return to. We are a state climbing its way out of this recession thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of our people assisted by President Obama's commitment to rebuilding the economic security of the middle class.

Cities and towns all over Ohio have inspiring stories to tell. In Perrsyburg, we are producing the Jeep Wrangler, a vehicle that just posted its best-ever monthly sales. In Sharonville, 100 laid-off workers were recalled to build the new 6R140 TorqShift at the Ford Transmission Plant. In Lordstown, 4,500 employees are working three shifts a day to produce the Chevy Cruze, one of the fastest-selling cars in America. Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake announced last year that it would insource production from Mexico to begin building F650 and F750 trucks -- a move that will help keep nearly 2,000 Ohioans on the job. And in Parma, thousands of workers at the GM Stamping Plant no longer have to fear that their jobs will be lost.

Romney doesn't celebrate these successes because he would have "let Detroit go bankrupt," a move that would have devastated Ohio's auto industry, the communities where auto companies are located, and the thousands of families that depend on the jobs it provides.

More Obama administration success stories can be seen in the Mahoning Valley, where manufacturing giant V&M Star is adding 350 new jobs, thanks in large part to President Obama's infrastructure investments, energy policy and willingness to fight illegal steel dumping from China.

In contrast to President Obama's efforts to help Ohio's workers, Romney has a very different story to tell. Rather than creating jobs in Ohio, Romney was creating jobs overseas. While CEO at Bain Capital, Romney was an outsourcing pioneer who made huge profits for himself and his shareholders by sending American jobs overseas. And now, he criticizes President Obama for imposing tariffs on tires the Chinese were dumping on our market and says the president's action to protect American jobs was "bad for the nation and for our workers."

Finally, there is the matter of Romney's lack of economic patriotism that is casting a dark cloud on his campaign. Having acquired great wealth while enjoying all the benefits this country provided to him, he chose to invest and hide his own financial resources in the tax havens of Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. He says he broke no laws and paid the taxes he owed, but can we believe him? He refuses to release his income tax returns, which raises the question, what is Mitt Romney trying to hide from the American people?

The contrast between President Obama and Gov. Romney is clear. The president is working to expand the middle class, revitalize manufacturing, create a fair tax code and encourage job creation here at home. And it's not just rhetoric -- the proof is right here with Ohio's turnaround. Gov. Romney wants to give even more tax breaks to the wealthiest among us, take access to affordable health care coverage away from 33 million Americans, and pursue policies that will encourage the outsourcing of our jobs.

We just can't afford Romney's out-of-touch economic philosophy here in Ohio. If he would take an honest look at how our state is proudly helping to lead America out of the recession, instead of peddling a doom-and-gloom message that is insulting to the countless Ohioans who play by the rules, do their fair share and work hard every day to get ahead, he might finally understand why.

Ted Strickland, former governor of Ohio, and Elaine Price, a resident of Warren, are Obama for America national campaign co-chairs from Ohio.

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